


Before the Bridge

by hypersugarroxy



Category: Original Work
Genre: Cats, Coping, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-21
Updated: 2016-05-21
Packaged: 2018-06-09 19:56:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,229
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6920845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hypersugarroxy/pseuds/hypersugarroxy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He'd be alright. He'll see them again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Before the Bridge

**Author's Note:**

> About our most recent loss.

The pain was gone.

He woke up exactly where he remembered. There was the road, there was the mailbox, there was the corpse next to - what.

He investigated it. It smelled like him. Which would've been normal, since they'd slept together for a period, except that was ALL it smelled like. Him. And death.

He tried to nuzzle it. He couldn't touch it. Or the pavement, for that matter. He could touch himself, though, and to prove it he licked his paw and slicked it over his head. 

He probably wouldn't go outside anymore. 

 

He stayed with it for a while. He didn't quite understand what compelled him to, but he needed to. If it smelt like him, it must've been friendly, so maybe he owed it to it.

His attention was diverted to the house across the road. Two of his people came out and headed to the car. Maybe he should get their attention & go inside. Have a nice snack with his girlfriend while the other lady's kids joined them. Normal Thursday stuff.

Car came down the driveway. And stopped. And pulled back up to the house. He heard screaming. His people were in trouble. They both rushed inside, crying in...pain? Anguish? He didn't know. Humans and their expressions were weird. They'd stare right at you and try to be friendly. What an odd species.

A third one came out with them, screaming but not as much. The younger of the two from the car raced down his yard with her and held her back from running in the road like an idiot. He'd honestly thought his humans were smarter than that. Did they want to end up like whatever must've happened to this poor fellow next to him? 

Eventually the cars let up and the two humans went across the road to the duo. He came over and tried to rub against their legs. They paid him no mind; their teary attention was on the other fella. Third Human picked it up. Poor guy's head lolled and Younger Car Human screamed. Third Human screamed back. Their mouth language meant nothing to him.

_Hey. I'm here too._

Older Car Human, absolutely distraught, met them on the other side and watched Third Human carry the other fella across the road. She stood in the lane, blocking traffic from the procession. 

Why was that cat so important? And more importantly, why weren't they paying attention to _him_?

Third Human laid Other Cat in the yard and they walked away from it. Rude. He spent a lot of time patrolling the area, making sure these  _other_ cats stay off his property, away from the clowder. His home, his cats. 

Well, Buff Petite and Little Black came in after him and his girlfriend were established, and they were alright. And Small Buff Mama and her heptuplets. And the crew that came when the people moved in - ok, ok, but he drew the line at smelling like dead. Dead smell was reserved for the mice and frogs he left in the driveway for his people. That they just left there to dry out. Must like their meat in jerky form.

Third human came back with a box. Weird...but he liked boxes so it was ok with him. He jumped in as soon as she set it down...and promptly had Other Cat dumped on him. 

Or  _through_ him.

The world doesn't work that way.

He jumped out on instinct and she carried the box away, back into the house, saying something to Older Car Human. He followed them in.

She went to the back room and tried introducing Other Cat to his girlfriend. Ok that was a final straw. He'd meet her eventually but it doesn't need to be  _encouraged_. Like the faithful partner she was, though, the little tortie ran away from the box and into the other room. 

Didn't she see him?

Did...did  _any of them_ see him?

Third human set the box down in the middle of the room. Little Black came over to it and sniffed. She seemed sad. He went to her and sniffed at her.

_It's ok. He's a cool cat. Probably._

 

The humans wouldn't stop crying. Man Human and Third Human had it together better than either Car Human, but everyone was shaken. Not too long after the box was set down, it was taken away and all four humans left. 

The spot where it laid still smelled like Other Cat. Little Black, Buff Petite, Dog, just about everyone took a turn sniffing at it. 

Ok: what were they realizing that he wasn't?

He decided to eat something. Never a bad time for kibble, and confusion was as good a reason to eat as any. If he started, chances were good he'd be joined by his girl soon. Or one of the heps; Orange Girl liked him a lot.

A couple of them joined him. But paid him literally zero attention.

He didn't get it. Just this morning he was one of the family, now they were shunning him.

Never a bad time for a nap of solitude.

 

This wasn't his house.

And this cat sniffing him...!

He got up. Large Orange? 

But...Large Orange...? It had been months, literally months since he last saw Large Orange. He...he was sick and tired all the time, and they kept taking him to the doctor. And then he didn't come back. But...he was back?

Except...everyone else was gone, too.

Well, except Large Black. Who was keeping his distance.

He looked closer. This wasn't Large Black. Likewise, this wasn't his girl, but some Old Tortie who happened to have her hair color. Down the the yellow front paw. And a orange one. Off to the side was a white one with brown patches and no tail. Weird, but Old Dilute has a chopped tail, plus his girl was tipped, he could handle it.

So...five cats. Only one familiar, and a place that wasn't his house. But he could touch the floor properly, now. 

Large Orange rubbed against him, welcoming him. Little Orange came over and sat by him. She rubbed him.

_His girl?_

_His mother._ And by extension, Large Buff's and Huge Orange's mother, too. Most cats didn't know their mothers, couldn't pick 'em from a line up. Or their siblings. For all he knew, his girl was his sister. Didn't matter. She never seemed to be up for it. Neither was he, to be honest.

Other Black approached them. Some family friend. Old Tortie kept her distance.

_She's just like that, it's not you._

_Who's that?_ He indicated No Tail.

_No one knows. He just said he's waiting for them too._

_Who?_

_The humans. And the rest. My brothers will see us again. And Black Tortie will see you too. And one day the people, who aren't good at seeing us right after._

_After what?_

Large Orange didn't answer, but his eyes were sad.

Little Orange led the way back, Other Black on her tail. Old Tortie didn't want to move but reluctantly stretched and followed. No Tail kept apart from them, but no one seemed to mind his presence.

_Come on, Brown Tabby._

He followed Large Orange at the back of the pack.

_There's some grass ahead you'll like. And wait till you see the bridge. Let's go wait._

**Author's Note:**

> For our lost cats.
> 
> -Owen (Brown Tabby), 2016  
> -Aladdin (Large Orange), 2016  
> -[Princess] Felix (No Tail), 2013  
> -Peaches (Little Orange), 2010  
> -Salem (Other Black), 2009  
> -Muffin (Old Tortie), 2008


End file.
